G R A Y
by MKSS
Summary: Kylo Ren, the new supreme leader.  Rey, a general in the rising rebellion.  Both powerful and fully intent their side wins the war.  But what happens when love gets in the middle of the battlefield?
1. 1

**G R A Y**

**Disclaimer** : I do not own any of the characters nor terminologies of Star Wars. I am merely a fan. Nor do I own any script or words derived from the movies that you may read here so that this remains as canon as possible.

**Kylo Ren**

"What girl?"

The snarl that left his lips along with the tight hold he had on the officer's windpipe had the desired reaction Kylo Ren hoped for.

Fear.

Dread.

Desperation.

All of which he found utterly pathetic.

When the man before him gave no reply besides a strangled whimper and wide fearful eyes, Kylo squeezed once more, just to see the man cower even further, before letting go completely. The officer dropped and gasped for air, fingers circling his bruised skin gently.

The taller of the two didn't even bother with a reply. He merely stormed off into his private quarters where he needed to meditate, connect to the Force and find out exactly who this girl was.

...

"Yes." He replied, his face a cold detached mask as he looked up to his mentor.

He could feel snoke search not only his features for any sign of weakness but also inside him. Sharp, painful points against his mental wall of protection reminded him of who he was dealing with. The sensation was much like a knife. The tip lightly scraping the surface before stabbing harshly, creating a hole so deep and large that he would have nowhere to hide. Fortunately, snoke wasn't as powerful, not compared to him.

Kylo Ren kept his posture straight and his face blank, careful not to betray his curiosity about this awakening in the Force and how he was sure it was because of the girl.

**Rey**

The metal gleamed beautifully. Silver inlaid with stark black, appearing pristine despite being stored away for so long, which of course pushed her curiosity even further. However it wasn't just the question of what exactly can this object do. It was something else. Something deeper. It was as though she needed to touch it. Maybe even pushed to do so. By what? Rey wasn't so sure.

She swallowed nervously before holding onto the metal, her fingers gripping tightly, not wanting to let go.

She let out a sound between a gasp and a grunt, completely in shock with where she was.

Suddenly the room bled away and she was somewhere else, somewhere dark, wet and impossibly cold.

Rain fell all around her, drenching her clothes and making it even harder to see.

A blinding red filled her vision.

It erupted from a body which gave a surprised cry of pain.

Her emotions ran as wild.

Fear.

Panic.

Not just at the change in the weather but the scene surrounding her.

Bodies littered the ground, bleeding and broken. Her stomach immediately twisted at the sight of so many mangled people.

A strong steady hum of energy interrupted her thoughts. She looked up, away from the faceless corpses and saw masked figures, all radiating dark energy.

Confusion added to the mix of feelings currently swirling inside her.

And surrounded by masked men was a tall hooded figure. He held a blinding red light and rage seemed to emanate from his very core.

He seemed to be surveying the masacre around them before his head snapped onto her.

Rey stepped backwards almost instinctively.

The man before her responding by coming closer, weapon ready at his side and deadly intent following his every movement.

Just as quickly as the scene appeared, it changed.

Rey was now in a forest.

Tall black trees devoid of any leaves were everywhere. Snow fell and the ground was thick with fog.

Rey swallowed nervously wondering if this was merely a hallucination from all the stress of running from the order or if this was some sort of vision.

Again she relied on her instinct to survive and ran away from where she last saw the masked men. Only for her path to be blocked by that damned hooded figure, his weapon humming dangerously as it sliced the air. She tripped and fell backwards.

Just as her body made impact with the ground, the walls were back. No more darkness.

Just the dirty floor and musty smell of old things.

...

The blaster in her hand threatened to slip from her grasp due to her sweaty palms. Rey did not expect nor wanted to be in the middle of the battlefield fighting for her life. She already had that struggle in the desert. She didn't need the added obstacle of masked men holding lightsabers.

Her aim was dismal and so was her footwork. Navigating the woods and staying alive at the same time proved to be a difficult task.

Almost every blast was dodged or countered with his weapon, which merely ate the energy from her gun.

She was getting desperate, frantic and unfortunately, messy.

He caught her moment of weakness and used the Force ruthlessly, freezing her movements completely.

"The girl i've heard so much about."

His voice came out robotic and muffled.

Rey could no longer use her weapon so she settled for giving him a deathly glare and used the only ammunition she had left in her arsenal; sheer willpower.

Everytime he raised his gloved hand or lightsaber, she swallowed her fear and focused on why she was here in the first place, who he stood for in this war and what she needed to do. But before she could tell him to go to Hell, her vision turned black and again the world fell into darkness.

**Kylo Ren**

He watched her sleep.

How her breathing was deep and even.

It seemed almost...peaceful.

Kylo waited patiently, knowing that she would wake soon from the small darkness he put her under.

The girl was heavily guarded.

It almost seemed amusing.

Massive metal cuffs encircled her tiny wrists.

Her petite frame was strapped onto a large iron table.

The girl's eyes snapped open.

It didn't take long for her to focus on him.

"Where am I?"

He replied with "You're my guest."

Their conversation went on for longer than he initially assumed.

As did her mental blocks.

He thought it would be simple, easy.

To break the walls around her feeble mind, no matter how in tune she was to the Force.

Clearly he has underestimated her.

As he left her holding cell in anger, Kylo couldn't help but feel his curiosity grow when he touched the forefront of her mind where he sensed her vulnerability.

Her loneliness.

Her longing.

But that feeling was quickly overshadowed by her biting words.

"You...You're afraid...That you'll never be as strong as Darth Vader."

He clenched his jaw hard.

We'll see.

...

He grit his teeth in concentration, wondering why the lightsaber didn't simply fly to his hand.

It's as if something was holding it back.

It quivered in the snow before slicing through the air, landing in the hands of his enemy.

Shock was evident in her features but so was resolve.

Kylo couldn't help the surprise that showed on his face and he just knew that this girl was his equal in the Force.

All the more reason to battle her.

Electric blue burst to life in her hand as the familiar red appeared in his.

She striked first.

Her moves were still frantic and uncoordinated but he no longer sensed the need to escape or crippling frustration. Now he only felt her willpower to live.

Their weapons clashed again and again, making sparks fly, purple light emanated from their colliding sabers.

He chased her even as the ground quaked and gave way. A huge chasm came out of nowhere, right behind the girl's feet.

Kylo used this to his advantage and when their weapons met again, he held her there, pushing until her heels almost tipped over the cliff.

"You need a teacher! I can show you the ways of the Force!"

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

The offer was not part of the plan.

Nor would snoke approve of it.

And her mere presence, her innate connection and control of the Force was a threat to the order, to him.

He didn't have any time to mull it over any longer because suddenly she was the one pushing him.

He felt the energy around them shift and her resolve seemed to strengthen, giving her blows and strikes even more power.

When she finally landed a hit, it did more than sear his skin, it burned his pride.

He stared up at the snow falling from the dark abyss and wondered,

How can she defeat him?

The cold rage filled his very bones.

He had already killed his father and still he was weak?

The anger transformed into something else, something he never wanted to face let alone feel.

Remorse.

Guilt.

It was worse than any rage he'd ever felt.

So he locked it away, so far and so deep, he'd never have to feel it again.

...

**AN**: Alright so...I'm a huge reylo shipper and I wanted to keep this fanfic as canon as possible which is why I'm writing this from the very first time they meet to present time after I watched the last jedi. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do but trust me I have plans for this ;) it's a bit of a slow burn at first just warning you all. Anyways, leave me a review and tell me whatchu all think.


	2. 2

**G R A Y**

**...**

**Kylo Ren**

"Bested by a girl who never held a lightsaber!"

He grit his teeth so hard he was sure it would crack. The shame that followed snoke's statement burned almost worse than the wounds on his face.

When snoke commanded his mask be removed so that the whole room can see proof of his loss against the girl, Kylo almost lost it right then and there.

Thankfully he had years of practice in the art of control to keep him from taking a course of action that involved several individuals in the vicinity, Hux and Snoke included, to hang uselessly in the air.

The metal helmet gave a small hiss as it came off. Although weighing nothing, it hung heavy in his hand as he stared into the eyes of his teacher.

Anger.

Irritation.

Disappointment.

The room was thick with it.

Kylo left soon after, using the cold rage of snoke's energy to fuel him, to further push himself, away from his past and away from the girl.

**...**

Small machines and droids worked on his wounds, applying salve to heal whatever marks he had left. He caught his reflection in the mirror nearby. Messy black hair, dark eyes and pale skin littered with scars.

Deep jagged lines that criss crossed all over.

Scars never really bothered him.

Now his exterior mirrored how he felt inside.

Broken.

Torn.

Severed.

Then he felt it.

Then he felt _her_.

His eyes searched around the medical bay briefly before landing on a face so different from his own.

Brown hair, sun kissed skin and warm brown eyes.

They stared at each other for what felt like a century.

He knew he should have tracked where she was with this connection, however brief, to the Force. But he didn't.

And the moment ended.

The girl looked to her side and found a blaster, scrambled for the trigger then aimed, hitting him square in the chest.

A grunt of pain and surprise left his lips at the sudden pressure he felt and her sheer audacity.

He reached and touched his chest.

Just where the blaster should have found its mark, he found his skin the same, pale and scarred, not bloody and burning.

Tch.

Clearly he wasn't getting rid of her that easily.

**Rey**

She stepped out of the falcon and revelled in the feel of the rain, the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks and above all else the stark contrast this planet was to the desert.

Droplets landed in her hand, her face and she couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips.

Sadly, the moment was short lived.

There it was again.

It's as if everything around her was much too loud then all the noise suddenly it faded away.

And the energy around her no longer swirled but was directed, connected to a single being.

To _him_.

Their eyes locked once more.

As luck would have it, she wasn't carrying her blaster this time.

However Rey wanted to talk to him, not that she would ever admit that aloud.

Ridiculous really, wanting to converse with a mass murderer.

Yet she had questions.

As well as the need to show that she managed what he could not; finding Luke Skywalker.

So she remained silent and waited for him to speak. This time she would be patient.

"Why is the force connecting us? You and i."

Genuine confusion was evident in his scarred face. That wound served as a reminder of what she did to defeat him, to avenge Han solo for the kindness he paid her. Thoughts of the snarky yet warm hearted pilot made her heart ache.

"Murderous snake!"

So much for silence.

And so they talked.

The more he spoke, the angrier she got.

How can he be so cool and arrogant?

After killing his own father?

After causing his mother so much grief?

"You have that look in your eyes. From the forest." His eyes searched hers, making her feel naked under his stare.

"When you called me a monster."

The memory of all those who died by his hand flashed before her eyes briefly.

Her hands clenched at her sides.

"You are a monster."

Venom dripped from each syllable.

Instead of laughing, sneering or simply walking away. Kylo ren did the last thing she expected he would do.

He agreed with her.

The man before her stepped closer, his dark eyes never leaving hers.

"Yes i am."

Certainty rang in his words but his face, his features seemed almost vulnerable.

As if he hated what he had become.

Rey had no idea what to say or how to react.

So when the sound of heavy rain returned, she was glad. Dealing with a violent man was one thing, but a broken one? She had absolutely no clue.

**...**

"I'd rather not do this now."

She didn't bother to face him despite being aware of where his energy was and found herself much more comfortable talking to the rain instead.

Today was difficult.

It left her with more questions than answers.

"Yeah, me too."

Even he sounded as tired as she felt.

Rey didn't prolong the inevitable and eventually looked at him.

"Why did you hate your father-"

Only for the breath in her throat to catch at the sight before her.

Naked from the waist up, stood Kylo ren, his face devoid of any feeling. As if it was normal to be shirtless in front of your enemy.

He was pale, marred with scars and extremely toned. She felt an unwanted blush raise to her cheeks as she asked him to put something, anything on.

His expression didn't change.

Clearly he didn't care if he was indecent.

Rey cursed under her breath before continuing with her questions.

Of course, he didn't answer directly.

Instead he made her angry and frustrated, hurt and disappointed.

The truth about her wanting, needing the parents that she never had, made her feel like she was the one naked, completely vulnerable to his gaze.

Hot tears trailed down her cheeks.

Still, Kylo Ren was relentless, accusing Luke Skywalker, that the teacher threatened the life of his own student.

"Liar." She murmured, denial clear in her voice.

Again, he stepped closer. However this time Rey didn't feel any animosity coming from him at all. It didn't feel cold or prickly. Not the usual red hot anger. This was warm.

The energy he gave off was almost soothing

Once more his eyes looked deep into hers.

"Let the past die."

He was telling her to let go.

"Kill it if you have to."

Of her parents.

Of the hope she'll be part of a family.

"That's the only way to become what you were meant to be."

But what was that?

Rey had absolutely no idea.

Yet it seemed Kylo Ren did.

**Kylo Ren**

"I thought I'd find answers here...I was wrong. I'd never felt so alone."

The girl before him was drenched and cold, clutching a pathetic excuse of a blanket.

He could sense her sadness, her loneliness.

She was drowning in it.

This was the first time she wasn't glaring or pointing a deadly weapon towards him. A welcome change yet Kylo was not accustomed to dealing with emotions.

But he understood exactly how she felt.

To feel lost and alone in the galaxy.

He blamed those thoughts for his next words.

"You're not alone."

They were enemies.

They stood on opposite sides of the battlefield.

So why was he offering her comfort?

Why was he easing her pain?

"Neither are you."

Her words were simple yet made his chest ache.

"It isn't too late."

It was.

He was beyond redemption.

The dark side was where he belonged.

He couldn't leave.

The shivering girl before him hesitantly reached towards him, her fingers outstretched and her eyes never leaving his form.

Kylo removed his glove, wanting to actually feel her skin against his, for her to see beneath the mask and uniform he always kept on.

Although he was lightyears away from the small stone hut she was residing in, he could feel how strong their force bond was.

If he concentrated enough, he could feel the warmth from the fire, he could see the light reflected in her eyes.

Finally their fingertips touched.

Her skin was not soft.

It was calloused, rough and worn.

But that was something he admired. It meant she worked and struggled. Just as he did.

Suddenly he was no longer in the musty room with her.

Now he was in the throne room, its walls a vivid blood red. He was here just recently. Yet instead of Snoke sitting arrogantly on the throne, it was _him_.

Just below the steps to where he was seated were the Order's generals, all on their knees and they reeked of fear and awe.

But their gaze was not only directed at him.

He turned to his left and felt his jaw almost go slack at who he saw.

She was in black, her lightsaber strapped to her hip and a subtle smirk on her lips.

As if she sensed his stare, she looked at him, her warm brown eyes full of fire and pride.

Her hand found his and the room was awash with wave upon wave of pure energy.

Power.

It was exhilarating.

The men and women before them practically shook beneath their combined strength.

The room vanished and he was in the desert, alone save for a couple who shoved a bundle of cloth into a pawn dealer's hands. The fabric shifted, exposing a head of brown hair and familiar brown eyes. The pair demanded their coin loudly before disappearing just as quickly, eager to spend their newfound credits on alcohol.

And just as suddenly as the vision appeared, it was gone.

The last thing Kylo remembered was the feel of her hand on his and the shocked look in her eyes before Skywalker severed their connection.

**...**

"You don't have to do this."

Kylo simply stared at the metal surface before him.

"I feel the conflict in you. It's tearing you apart."

Tch.

Could she really read him that easily?

"Ben."

He couldn't help but react at his given name.

No one besides his parents addressed him with that. It was much too intimate, too personal. Yet somehow, he didn't mind.

"When we touched hands, I saw the future."

Hope was clear in her eyes, her voice.

"Just the shape of it but solid and clear."

Did she share his vision then?

"You will not bow before Snoke."

That they ruled the galaxy, side by side?

"You'll turn. I'll help you. I saw it."

Evidently, they saw different futures.

Kylo didn't need to hear what she saw but he wanted to make sure she did.

"I saw something too."

He leaned close and was glad she didn't turn away.

"Because of what I saw, I know when the moment comes, you'll be the one to turn."

The hope she felt so strongly was no longer a flare. Now it flickered and was now mixed with a sliver of doubt.

"You'll stand with me."

Confusion filled her eyes.

"Rey, I know who your parents are."

**...**

She trembled before him.

He could feel her fear, her worry, her hope that he would change.

She didn't understand yet.

That she would come over to the dark side, to his side.

Kylo would make her understand.

Snoke babbled on and on behind her, completely confident that he would once again, fulfill another task to prove he was as powerful as his grandfather.

Yet he wasn't listening.

He was lost in the vision he had of him sitting on that throne, commanding an army and shaping the galaxy to his vision, with her at his side.

Already his left hand was moving as his mind projected the images snoke wanted to see.

Snoke died pathetically, wheezing, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief.

The lightsaber flew from its perch next to the throne onto Rey's hand before she stood, shock on her features.

Everything happened quickly after that.

Of course the Praetorian guards attacked, fully intent to avenge their fallen leader.

Kylo's body moved automatically, used to fighting and killing. However he didn't expect to move so fluidly with Rey. Their bodies seemed to dance, where one needed support, the other would provide.

He almost smirked at this.

She really was his equal in every way.

However, instead of pushing aside this fact, he embraced it, finally not feeling alone.

So when the battle finally ended with bodies strewn across the floor, he looked at the now empty throne.

Rey called out to him.

To stop the fleet from firing the resistance.

She still didn't understand.

"It's time to let old things die. Snoke. Skywalker. The Sith. The Jedi. The rebels. Let it all die." As he spoke, he walked towards her.

"Rey, I want you to join me."

This time he was the one who reached out his hand. This time he was the one hoping she would see.

"We can rule together and bring a new order to the galaxy."

His vision, it was meant to become a reality.

Their power, united would be unstoppable.

"Don't do this Ben. Please don't go this way."

Frustration burned his patience.

"No. No,You're still holding ON! Let go!"

Didn't she see what they could accomplish together?

The influence they would have?

Clearly she was blinded by her connections to those filthy rebels.

"You have no place in this story. You come from nothing. You're nothing."

Tears fell from her eyes at his harsh words.

"But not to me."

Her head raised and her eyes found his.

Again he reached out to her.

"Join me."

He stepped forward.

"Please."

**...**

The silence was heavy and felt like a thousand lightyears. Until finally, he felt her fingers touch his and her hand grip his own.


End file.
